


feelings are fatal.

by LoserEddie



Category: Animal House (Movies)
Genre: Homophobia, Homophobic Language, M/M, Summer Camp, hes going CAMPING BITCH!!!!! against his will but. still.
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:29:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24867616
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoserEddie/pseuds/LoserEddie
Summary: Partners. The mere word made his stomach fill with dread. For the next two months, Larry and his fraternity’s arch-nemesis would have to do everything together: work, eat, and- oh, god, even share a bunk bed. If he weren’t afraid of getting a fist to the face, he would have given in to his urge to gag. Why had he agreed to this?___Larry's parents are shipping him off to a camp for the summer. Being nineteen, he's kind of curious why he can't decide these things for himself.
Kudos: 4





	1. prologue 1

“So what? They decided to trash you, big whoop. Just stay here for the summer, nobody’ll notice.”

Even with Bluto’s attempts at reassurance, Larry’s unease never did die down. The aspect of being so far off for an entire summer- well, it was all a bit concerning. This would have been his first break with the fraternity, an event he had, oddly enough, been looking forward to. With all of the hijinks that occurred during the school year, surely they would be up to far greater mischief when they didn’t need to fuss over class attendance. Perhaps even Hoover, bless that good ol’ worrier, would have the chance to lighten up. 

Well, not like Larry would get the chance to find out. Not this year, at least. Instead, he had a one-way ticket to Camp Elmour. What this camp consisted of, he was yet to find out, his parents only explaining it as “a break from that party animal lifestyle of yours”. It was a lifestyle he intended to keep raging on for quite some time. Well, maybe they had his best interest in mind; separating from the chaos he had grown so used to would only encourage him to increase it once he returned. Though this newfound motivation certainly helped calm him slightly, he still couldn’t help but think of the worst.

“You remember what happened last time we tried staying here,” Came a swift reminder from Hoover, never one to let an educational opportunity pass him by. “Dean Wormer nearly dropped our grades!”

“Our grades are already at the bottom of the lake, they can’t sink any deeper.” Boon only momentarily turned his gaze away from the cover of a man’s magazine: ONE, recommended by Otter, Larry reckoned. They always seemed to be exchanging articles like that.

“I think D-Day can object to that.”

A short wave, more so the flick of his wrist than anything, came from D-Day, until he returned to staring out the window at a familiar landscape. But as the boys continued on as if it were any average day, Larry could only lie on the dirtied carpet, arms folded behind his head. The ceiling fan spun above, his only reminder that time continued to pass, as the speech surrounding him became nothing but dull background noise. If he were to spend these months so far from his friends, would their relationship grow stale? There was even the possibility of them being reminded of just how good things were before he joined the fraternity, only to kick him out as they reunited, never again thinking of the freshman they once knew.

Of course, that was incredibly unlikely. Yet the idea nagged at Larry’s mind until he could stand it no longer. He rose to his feet and maneuvered past the maze of Deltas until, finally, he reached the first step on the staircase. A magnificent achievement, considering the many limbs he could just barely climb over without stumbling onto another. Spy work could very likely be his future profession, if not vault robberies. As he climbed, he spared a glance to each photo that the frat decided to sloppily hang. Most, if not all, were taken by Hoover, moments before rowdiness got the best of the group yet again. Not to anyone’s surprise, the man who appeared in the most was Otter, with that smug smirk and charming aura that followed him everywhere. Photogenic was putting his love for the camera politely.

Soon, Larry found himself sitting on his mattress, one that he wouldn’t see again for quite some time. Until school began once again, all he had were the memories of sitting in this bedroom late at night, chatting with Flounder about the events of the day. There had always been plenty to discuss, even when most of what happened was rather droll. He found that he would actually rather miss Flounder. Though they had never been overwhelmingly close, he still considered him one of his closest friends, having known him for years now. Not that he could get a proper goodbye in any time soon; no, Flounder had gone home as soon as summer began. Now those phone calls they planned on making would only be the occasional letter, if he even bothered to send anything. Larry didn’t exactly take him as the writing type.

The walls of this otherwise bland room were covered in posters; some that actually matched their interests, such as flyers promoting the campus hockey team, while others were thrown on in a desperate attempt to make the bedroom feel more filled than it truly was. It was actually a common theme in the house, throwing in random decorations just for the effect. That explained the obnoxiously large flag in Hoover’s room, one that only he really understood the purpose of. The others interpreted it as an acceptance of Confederacy, which, honestly, made more sense than just liking the design.

Just as Larry began to relax, a loud honk erupted from outside. That couldn’t be them, it wasn’t- ...well, actually, it was 11 AM on the dot, exactly the time they said they would arrive. Peeking out the window, he sighted the Ford Thunderbird his parents were oh so proud of. If it weren’t for loving their child more, they may have even considered the vehicle their pride and joy. Those two emotions were not what came to mind, however, as Larry soon realized where it would be bringing him. That was the dreadful moment that it truly did dawn on him: a summer of camping was imminent, whether he liked it or not.

The bright smile and open arms of his mother greeted him as he finally exited the house. Wrapped in a tight embrace, he could barely offer a handshake to his father, a man still not accustomed to the comforting habits that his wife insisted on. As happy as he was to reunite with his family, Larry couldn’t ignore the melancholy that came with them. Not from their attitudes, of which they clearly had quite the opposite, but instead the reminder that he would be separated from his friends for such a long time. In some sort of melodramatic way, that hug ended his relation to the fraternity. 

“So, when are you gonna be back?” Otter asked, standing by Larry as they watched his parents mingle.

“End of summer, unless I get kicked out or the place shuts down. Not that it’s very likely. You guys won’t replace me or anything, right? I know it’s a dumb question, but-”

“C’mon, we wouldn’t get rid of you for the world. You’re polite, you clean up after yourself, you’re practically the perfect roommate. What, do you think we have any reason to?”

“Well, no, but… if I miss out on everything you guys do this summer, you may not like me as much anymore.”

“Don’t worry; on my watch, they won’t even forget your face.” He smirked, then slung an arm around the freshman’s shoulders. “You’re growing up too fast, Pinto. Just yesterday you were still freaking out over shoplifting.”

“I don’t think he ever grew out of that.” Boon handed off the last bag to Larry before hopping up to sit on the porch fence. How it was still standing, that was one of the house’s many mysteries. “The kid forgot to pay for a bottle of water and had a crime high for the next two days.”

“That was way back in, what, October? Jesus, can you believe we’ve been parents that long?”

“It’s been a journey. Well, we have to hand him off, Hoov can’t keep them entertained forever. Say goodbye to everyone, Kroges.”

What Larry never knew, was that the simple task of saying goodbye would be the hardest of all. Even when he left for college, he never felt all that upset to leave his family behind. Now, it felt as if he was preparing to lose everything. He gave an individual goodbye to every boy, each hurting more than the last. Most were simple high-fives or head nods, excluding the near-enough strangling hugs from both Bluto and Hoover. When he regretfully finished parting ways with his friends, he slunk into the backseat of his parents’ car. Once, this familiar interior filled him with a sense of comfort, now all it brought was a wave of sadness as he took one last look at the Delta house. Head still out the window, even as they began to drive, he gave a final wave.

“Hey, did Pinto ever tell you where that camp of his is?” Otter now sat beside Boon. He only turned his head to face him as the car left their sight, down a road they had traveled hundreds of times.

“Just thirty minutes from here, why do you ask?” Boon asked.

“Curious, is all. I guess we’ll be seeing him soon. Now, we've gotta get to packing.”


	2. prologue 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doug is a military man, not a happy-go-lucky camper. Who thought it would be a good idea to send him here?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay certainly not the best chapter but i wanted to get it out so!! have fun guys. also this is a VERY description-based chapter im sorry

And as Larry’s day overflowed with misery, Doug listened as his own crumbled apart from the pair shouting in the front seat. The only reason he even agreed to this camp was- well, actually he didn’t truly agree at all. His father ordered him to attend, and he greatly understood that disobeying orders would only result in more dire complications. 

So there he sat, listening as his parents bickered over any little thing they could. In a way, it reminded him of his childhood: the few occasions he wasn’t in military school, they showed no mercy, not even to their own son. Not that they ever dragged him into their petty fights; no, they had their own way of dealing with whatever troublesome behavior he displayed. A punishment he had no desire to live out again.

It was times like these that he truly did regret distancing himself from Greg, who he could have easily spent the summer with otherwise, instead of living through this god awful fate. Not that they had been particularly close in the first place, but since that almost unfathomable secret had been revealed, Doug found it revolting to even go near him. To think, for years, he really associated himself with…

Well, with that faggot.

“You packed everything, right?” Asked his mother, finally tiring of the shouting match with her husband (if he could even be considered that, at this point). 

“Right.” Why bother with extended responses? When it came to these conversations, effort was meaningless. 

“And you’ll be able to find a ride home when camp ends?”

“You’re not picking me up?”

Now came his father’s turn to speak, begrudgingly so, even though he hadn’t even been told to. “Don’t be ungrateful, Douglas. We shouldn’t have even had to drive you, you’re a grown man.”

Obviously they didn’t have to, he never said they did. Still, they went out of their way to help him, just to make him feel equivalent to a speck of dirt the entire ride. Normally, he would be throwing a fit over being addressed in such a disrespectful manner, especially when he had barely done anything wrong. But instead, he simply felt nothing. What was there to feel? He dealt with his father’s belittlement for years, this was certainly nothing new, nor unexpected.

The wide stretch of Camp Elmour came as, strangely enough, a welcoming view. At first, when picturing his home for the summer, he only imagined an absolute hellscape, filled with troubles and hardships he would be forced to endure. However, considering it was that or listening to his parents’ barely stable marriage fall apart, he’d much rather choose a short period of camping.

Opening the car door, he slung the strap of his duffel bag over his shoulder and took in where he would be staying for the next two months. A long, open field, with a few cabins scattered here and there and a campfire close by. An open recreational hall came to top the buildings off, a plethora of picnic tables being kept inside. Certainly not the most ideal place, but it would have to do.

Of course, he should have expected his stay to be far more painful. Assuming this would be a walk in the park was foolish on his behalf. For as he turned to look at who he would be trapped with, similar to rats in a cage, one face stood out amongst the packed crowd: Lawrence Kroger. 

Fan-fucking-tastic.

If he weren’t such a suck-up to his superiors, he would have even turned around and commanded his parents to bring him home immediately. But alas, he could not, nor could he hijack a vehicle and drive off himself- frankly, he didn’t know how. A license didn’t seem all that important, thanks to his predetermined career in the military. So his only choice was to shake their hands as a farewell and watch the car descend down the road. There would be no turning back from then on. He was as good as dead.

Now, he decided, he would have to battle against the intense urge to strangle Larry until they were somewhere more private. It’s not like he had a personal vendetta against the soon-to-be college sophomore; no, his hatred only came by association. To be fair, he had quite the excuse: killing somebody’s horse is pretty harsh.

“Woah, woah, woah there, pal!” An arm stretched out in front of Doug, keeping him mere feet away from that dreadful Delta boy. Well, in a way, this did prevent an early homicide. Nevertheless, a male counselor stepped in front of him with a grin. “Don’t go mingling with your pals any time soon, we still gotta get your name down!”

“Douglas C. Neidermeyer.” 

“Well it’s just swell to have you, Doug! Alright, I’m gonna need you to spell that last name for me, just as an extra precaution! Wouldn’t want any bad guys sneaking in, right?”

“Do you take me as a liar?” Actually, this man probably took him as a five year old boy.

“‘Course not! It’s just that-”

“N-E-I-D-E-R-M-E-Y-E-R.”

If he scribbled on that clipboard any longer, Doug would have snapped it in half. “Sounds great, good job buddy! You’ll be in cabin two, I bet another counselor will be bringing you there after the presentation. You can go join everyone in the rec hall!”

Finally, sweet release! But when he looked up, Larry was gone, along with the campers that once stood close by. The day, for Douglas C. Neidermeyer, was going to absolute shit thus far. He thought that, perhaps staying home with his bickering family may have been in his best interest. What was he meant to do now, however? Why, go and sit through the most boring opening of all time, of course! At this rate, he wouldn’t be surprised if this camp was some elaborate prank created by the Deltas. It would be much better than the reality this hellish camp was truly serious.


	3. come along with me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Larry never considered himself an anxious person. Seeing Doug Neidermeyer might just change that.

“Neidermeyer” and “summer camp” were never meant to go together, yet there he was, in all of his snobbish glory. Larry almost screamed as they locked eyes, his relaxed facade vanishing as swift as a bolt of lightning. When surrounded by his fraternity brothers, there was almost a sense of protection, knowing he could easily sneak behind one of the taller boys to avoid Douglas’ wrath. But as he stood among a group of strangers, far from those he trusted, he realized he had never felt so exposed.

There was no doubt that Douglas had made note of his presence as well, the spine-chilling glare could have proved it on its own. Larry braced for impact - he even mentally prepared his will, just in case this ended disastrously - yet was met with shock as not a soul came to shout in his face. Instead, who would have been his potential killer was trapped behind a counselor. Larry, frankly, was dumbstruck, barely thinking to flee before a hand grasped his wrist.

“Didn’t you hear them? They’re taking us to the rec hall.” A feminine voice freed him from his paralysis. Already being tugged forward, he turned to face the source.

A short, yet fit brunette stood before him, her grey eyes flickering from his own gaze down to the worn blue luggage he dragged behind him. Taking hold of the handle herself, she urged him forwards. With Larry not quite knowing what to say, even as they passed the halfway point towards the rec hall, she took it upon herself to do the job for him. After all, from first impressions, he didn’t seem like an expert conversationalist. Really, what did she expect out of a new kid?

“Don’t worry, every new camper tends to be a bit out of it. The place is weird, I get it.” She held out her free hand. “Clorette DePasto.”

He returned the handshake, offering an uneasy smile. “Larry Kroger, sorry you have to lug me along. You didn’t have to grab my bag, too, you know.” 

“It’s no problem. I once had to basically carry a younger camper who was throwing a fit, so believe me, this is a nice break. Now, can I ask what got you so worked up? Unless you naturally look like a deer in headlights.”

“Depending on who you ask, I just might. Well, I just saw someone I know, took me by surprise. His last name’s Neidermeyer, does he usually come here during the summer?”

“I’ve never seen or heard of him. But if you ever have a problem with him, I’ve got your back. I’m practically an Elmour vetern, the counselors know me well enough to let a few things slide.”

“I wouldn’t want to get you in any trouble-”

“Please, trouble is my middle name. Why else would I be here?”

So caught up in conversation, Larry hadn’t noticed that they had already entered the rec hall. Lined with tables, dozens of people conversed among themselves. A few seemed about Larry’s age, though some looked to be as young as thirteen. He quirked an eyebrow at the observation, before stumbling into a cluster of who appeared to be Clorette’s friends. As she introduced them to her latest addition to the group, he found his attention wandering across the packed room. Soon, it settled on a sight more ghastly than he could have ever imagined:

Douglas C. Neidermeyer, with no counselor to restrain him.

Larry scrambled to occupy himself in some sort of activity, attempting to pass as just another camper. Even facing the wall wouldn’t do the trick, however, for his fate had already been sealed. Douglas was approaching rapidly, and the only thing Larry could do was embrace what was to come.

That, however, would not be his demise. Saved by the bell, some would say. For just as Douglas began to fit his way into the mass of campers, a sharp whistle cracked through the air like a whip. A hush fell over the room, and all eyes turned towards the milk crate up front, and the short man that stood on top of it. A much taller woman was beside him, obviously accustomed to this procedure, having paid no mind to her coworker’s laughable attempts at gaining some sort of upper-hand, metaphorically or otherwise.

“Welcome to Camp Elmour, everyone! I hope we’ve all been having a swell time so far. I mean, even if you tried not to, how could you resist with all this gorgeous scenery, huh?” He waved towards the surrounding field, and the forest that rested on the outskirts.

When not a single camper showed signs of excitement, the woman took the lead. “Tony and I are going to be your main counselors this summer. Our goal here is to help you work through all of your problems, whatever those may be.”

“And like I always say, we put the have in behavioral issues! Have fun, that is!”

“...I think you’re forgetting the ‘e’.”

“Well, Brandy, not all of us decided to waste our college years on being English majors. Okay, you kids go ahead and mingle while we get all the cabins sorted out!”

But Douglas and Larry had no time for mingling; no, they were focused on a much greater ordeal. Careful not to stray far from Clorette, in case the situation turned sour, Larry made his way towards Douglas, whose face had already begun to turn a vibrant shade of red. Conversing with him in this state was like sticking an arm in a lion’s cage. Whether that limb came out unscathed depended not on the approach, but of the hunger of the beast.

“I didn’t know you were interested in camping, Neidermeyer.” He said, praying this would be a decent way to ease into the topic.

“I have never enjoyed nature, let alone at a behavioral camp. This is an establishment meant for men of your attitude, not mine.” Douglas hadn’t looked away from the two counselors since they made that startling announcement. If he had packed his gun, they would no longer stand as high and mighty as they did then, appearing to bask in his frustration.

“If it makes you feel any better, I didn’t know this was that kind of place, either-”

“How is your presence supposed to make me feel better?”

Well, he tried, didn’t he? A lousy attempt, but the metaphorical arm went untouched, and the lion could fester in its rage for another day. Meanwhile, Larry would have to learn to cope with this newfound information. The question of why his parents chose to send him here would come at a later date, when the risk of stressing himself even further died down. For now, he was left in the fields of Camp Elmour, with a new friend and an old enemy.


	4. schoolyard taunts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> another shocking discovery is made.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i did not proof read we die like men

If Doug didn’t fear a summer spent in a place worse than this, he would have gone up to those counselors and showed them what he thinks of their little “behavioral camp”. Did they truly expect him to put up with such cruel treatment? While this was certainly a fact his proud nature would never acknowledge, their expectations had technically been met. The only people who could ever subdue a rabid beast like him were his superiors, after all.

Not that his anger could be as easily set aside. No no, rage infected Doug as much as that of a terminal illness. He had always been a spiteful young man, screaming at playmates in the sandbox since he learned to speak. Of course, it’s not that his almost psychotic tendencies came from thin air; the dreadful parenting he endured could be thanked for a good amount of it. 

And so, when the same pair that turned him this way could no longer handle their own vile creation (think that of Frankenstein and his monster, as extreme as it may be), they sent him to be dealt with elsewhere. Doug would have hoped such a location would at least be enjoyable, like boot camp, or- well, honestly, boot camp had been the only thing he hoped for. Where else was he meant to go?

Some camp in the middle of nowhere, apparently. Stuck with two bubbly counselors and a group of morons, he would have to learn to make due. “Play nice”, or as nice as Doug could be. He may have even likened it to Faber, though college had been a more enjoyable, less forced experience. The most he’d learn here is childish campfire songs and “coping mechanisms” for his “various psychological issues”. Pathetic.

But above all, if he wished to keep a sliver of sanity, he would have to learn to coexist with… him. That good-for nothing, cowardly little Lawrence Kroger, who had the audacity to try and make small talk after all he had done. It made him- well, I think you know the word I’m going for: furious. Take into consideration that a man that holds himself (and his supposed “status”, which means nothing here) in such high regard, spends most of his time screaming at people he considers the scum of the earth. 

Well, it’s just a thing to think about.

And as Douglas struggled against his own violent impulses, Larry stood. Just stood, nothing more, nothing less. Truthfully, he couldn’t do much else if he tried; his brain had already exerted all of its energy attempting to process this rush of information. 

“You’re doing the look again.” Clorette chimed, separating from her previous group to check on the newcomer. “Did your parents give you the silent treatment?”

“The… what?” He asked.

“It happened to me, too. Their parents never bothered to tell them what the camp was for, and only got a proper explanation once they were dumped here. Did I get that right?”

“How can you read me so easily?”

“You’re like a children’s book compared to these other novels. Well, don’t worry, you’ll probably adapt faster than I did. You just have to accept the fact that you won’t be getting out of here any time soon. It’s fun once you get used to it!”

Well, that didn’t do plenty to cool Larry’s nerves, but then again, not much would. It’s almost humorous, how he thought a few months of casual camping were the worst possibility. Fate sure is a cruel mistress, isn’t she?

Fingers wrapped around his luggage’s handle, he watched the counselors gather around the microphone once again. The clipboard in Tony’s hand was enough to make his heart stop. Now, he could only await further bad news- there was certainly nothing good to come when those two tried to gather everyone’s attention.

“Hiya, campers! One more thing we have to introduce before you all get situated: the buddy system! You wanna explain?” Asked Tony, glancing towards Brandy from his milk crate perch.

“To ensure every camper has someone to socialize with comfortably during the summer, we’ve established the buddy system,” She explained, “each one of you has been paired with another camper from random selection. All of the pairings are listed on the bulletin board behind us. We’ll bring you all to your cabins once you’ve found your partner.”

Partners. The mere word caused his stomach to fill with dread. For the next two months, Larry and his fraternity’s arch-nemesis would do everything together: work, eat, and- oh, god, even sleep on the same bunk bed. If he weren’t afraid of getting a fist to the face, he would have given in to his urge to gag. Why had he ever agreed to this?

Well, neither he nor Douglas had, but that’s beside the point. This’ll be one hell of a summer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this is a short one!!! ill try to publish another chapter soon. thanks for reading!


	5. chap. 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> things are going swell for the new pair!

“C’mon, Doug, if we wanna make it through this summer, we have to stick _ together _ .”

Douglas C. Neidermeyer was  _ not _ a “two peas in a pod” sort of guy, that’s something Larry knew from the start. He could hardly even stand to be with other people- before the group had been dismissed from their meeting, he charged out of the doors, Larry sprinting to catch up as he awaited either a brutal tongue-lashing or some sort of physical torture. 

But instead, Doug only regarded him with silence. Not even a glance in his direction, even as Larry tried to start up a conversation about Doug’s, presumably, more favored topics, like war and firearms and all of the things Larry could care less about. So he had to fill the silence, trying to explain to Doug just  _ why _ they had to stay together: if they didn’t, they’d be in trouble, and Doug certainly isn’t the type to be reprimanded, is he?

“I’d rather  _ die _ than put up with the likes of you,” He shot back. It was a response, thankfully, but not exactly the one Larry was hoping for.

“What do you mean by that?” Larry had a feeling it was something along the lines of being a failure, wimp, or both of them combined: a _ faggot _ .

“Measly little freshmen that think they can parade around with all of the confidence in the world. You think you can get along with anyone and have all the friends you’d like. Isn’t that right?”

“Aren’t you just describing Chip?”

Oh, poor Chip Diller, the recent Omega pledge that had been stuck in the hospital due to the Delta’s antics. Larry pitied him- to an extent. Though Chip hated to bring it up, they had known each other since kindergarten, having gone to school together even into college. Both of them C. Estes Kefauver Memorial High School graduates, Larry known as “the really sweet kid that, in hindsight, didn’t mean much to any of his classmates”, and Chip known as “Chip Diller, senior class”. They had plenty of potential to become great friends, and likely would have been, if it weren’t for Larry’s overwhelming social ineptness, and Chip’s love for throwing soda cans at people during lunch and calling them homophobic slurs. Maybe that’s what destined them to be sworn enemies.

“Chip doesn’t associate with  _ your _ kind. He understands respect.”

“ _ Understood _ .”

“What?”

“He  _ understood _ respect. He doesn’t understand much of anything now.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Well, he’s been out cold for months. You don’t know most things when you’re practically almost a vegetable.”

Doug rolled his eyes. And even with his clear distaste, Larry carried on walking beside him, now with a newfound confidence. If they were at Faber, he likely would’ve been socked for a comment like that, maybe even in a more dire state than Chip- but with camp came  _ much _ more supervision. And much  _ less _ favoritism.

Or so he thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry it's so short!


End file.
